Chapter 7.26: Tibet Autonomous Region

Overview

Situated in south-western China, the Tibet Autonomous Region is bounded on the south by Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, India and Myanmar. Surrounded by the Himalayas, the Kunlun Mountauns and Tanggula Range, the region forms the main part of the Qinghai- Tibetan Plateau, which, with its average elevation of 4,000 metres, is known as the 'roof of the world'. The total area is over 1.2 million square kilometres and the population is 2.63 million. The regional capital is Lhasa. Major economic indicators are shown in Table 7.26.1.

Table 7.26.1: Major economic indicators, Tibet Autonomous Region

Item	2000	2001
Population (millions)	2.5983	2.6295
Gross domestic product (billion RMB)	11.746	13.860
GDP per capita (thousand RMB)	4.559
Disposable income per capita (thousand RMB)
Urban residents	6.448	1.331
Rural residents	7.119	1.404
Savings (billion RMB) [*]	14.493	21.29
Investment in fixed assets (billion RMB)	6.405	8.577
Value-added of primary industry (billion RMB)	3.632	3.747
Value-added of secondary industry (billion RMB)	2.721	3.218
Value-added of tertiary industry (billion RMB)	5.393	6.895
Total retail sales of consumer goods (billion RMB)	4.287	4.904
Source: China Statistical Yearbook2001 and State Statistical Bureau.
[*] Both institutional and private savings